A recent report by Fireblocks reveals that nearly 90% of institutional players, including traditional banks, financial institutions, fintech companies, and payment gateways, are actively using or exploring stablecoins for various operational purposes. The report surveyed 295 executives and found that 49% already use stablecoins in payments, 23% are conducting pilot tests, and 18% are planning implementations. Only 10% remain undecided about adopting stablecoins.
Traditional banks prioritize cross-border payments as the leading use case for stablecoin adoption, leveraging these assets to overcome inefficiencies of legacy systems such as high costs and delays. According to the data, 58% of traditional banks use stablecoins for cross-border transfers, 28% for payment acceptance, and others for liquidity optimization, merchant settlement, and B2B invoicing. Stablecoins are viewed as a pathway to modernization, offering easier integration due to their fiat-pegged nature.
The report highlights speed as the top benefit of stablecoin use, with 48% of participants emphasizing faster settlement times. Other benefits include greater transparency, better liquidity management, integrated payment flows, and enhanced security.
Barriers to adoption have decreased significantly since 2023. Only 18% now cite compliance concerns, down from 74%, and regulatory uncertainty dropped from 85% to 25%. Improved regulations, anti-money laundering (AML) policies, know-your-customer (KYC) frameworks, and international coordination have contributed to rising institutional confidence.
According to Fireblocks, institutions are moving from pilot projects toward scaled deployments, with 86% confirming they have partnerships and systems in place for stablecoin integration. The adoption drivers now include revenue expansion, market entry, and strong customer demand, with firms viewing stablecoins as essential growth infrastructure rather than mere cost-saving tools.
The report also emphasizes stablecoins' role in modernizing global financial infrastructure, pointing out that the stablecoin market cap recently approached $238 billion. Cross-border transactions dominate demand, especially in emerging markets with high-volume, low-margin trade corridors such as Latin America and Africa.
Overall, the findings indicate a decisive shift where stablecoins are becoming mainstream instruments for institutions, offering speed, security, and expanded business opportunities in payments and treasury management.